OPINION & EDITORIAL
Wisconsin Union responds to ‘patently false’ allegations
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by Letters to the Editor
Thursday, November 8, 2007
There are many inaccuracies in Jason Smathers' "opinion" piece ("Labor Scandal at Wisconsin Union?") published in The Badger Herald Nov. 7.
While the writer did attempt to get the Union's side of the story, he disregarded facts along the way.
Among the many claims made by the disgruntled former employee, "Jorge," are that he was allowed to work as an undocumented illegal alien. This is patently false, even according to the article. He couldn't get paid if he were undocumented; he couldn't even be hired by the University of Wisconsin without appropriate documentation. While he may well have been using false documents, though no Social Security anomalies emerged, it is inappropriate to question someone when hiring them without cause — to do so would be racial profiling.
In addition, the claim that there are 25 to 30 illegal aliens working the third shift at the Wisconsin Union is also untrue. In reality, there are only 13 employees total working third shift between both Memorial Union and Union South — all of whom are in full compliance with state hiring procedures.
The article does not corroborate any of the claims of "Jorge," who admittedly had worker compensation as well as other workplace issues. Doesn't that raise any flags? The reporter should have attempted to verify these allegations before publishing such an inflammatory piece, and the editor should have demanded proof before allowing it to go to press.
The Wisconsin Union takes all of these issues seriously. In October 2006 the Union initiated the living wage for Limited Term Employees — eight months ahead of the campus mandate — and has converted most LTEs to full-time positions. We also have a strong track record and a comprehensive process for dealing with workplace grievances. Though these issues were discussed with the reporter, they were not included in the story.
Such a misleading article does a disservice to the Union, the university and its employees as well as The Badger Herald itself. Without checking these dubious claims for accuracy, the article casts doubt on the veracity of the content of the entire newspaper, not merely this one piece.
We expect more from our student newspapers and are disappointed because The Badger Herald has done and can do much better.
Marc Kennedy
Communications Director
Wisconsin Union
mhkenned@wisc.edu
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 6:58am):
Please. I don't believe a word you said. Try again.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 7:45am):
"While he may well have been using false documents, though no Social Security anomalies emerged, it is inappropriate to question someone when hiring them without cause"
I hope the medical center doesn't use the same "don't ask" policy for their doctors. Yikes!
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 8:40am):
Yup, great "reporting" by Smathers.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 8:52am):
"I hope the medical center doesn't use the same "don't ask" policy for their doctors. Yikes!"
Yikes indeed, but anything else would be racial profiling and VERY in-PC!
Just look at the smackdown Desparate Housewives got over a comment* about forign medical diplomas - and that's just a TV show.
* "Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines"
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 9:30am):
Theory: Smathers tried to corroborate the story, but the Union stonewalled him, so the piece was published in the Opinion section to show Union officials what happens when you don't play ball.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 9:50am):
wouldn't it be appropriate to provide a link to the original story instead of making people search the archives?
get with it, BH.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 10:43am):
"to show Union officials what happens when you don't play ball"
Fredom of the press is great, if you own a press that is.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 11:24am):
http://badgerherald.com/oped/2007/11/07/labor_scandal_at_wis.php
Link to originating article.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 1:13pm):
I work at the Union, and I think the story was right on. Please dig deeper, Smathers.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 1:34pm):
"I work at the Union, and I think the story was right on."
Maybe there should be a reward for turning illegal immigrants in to the authorities? This would be a way for this person to do something about the problem.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 3:12pm):
The authorities? Are you kidding?
Seriously, do you think the authorities are doing anything more than a token round-up of the illegals? Big business needs illegal immigrants and the cheap labor they provide. Who wins elections in this country: big business, that's who.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 3:30pm):
"Big business needs illegal immigrants and the cheap labor they provide."
It's the CUSTOMERS of big business that are to blame. They're who wants the lowest prices. Gardeners, janitors and maids don't always work for Big business - more often they work for Trustifarians.
BTW, illegal immigrants in the USA are paid many times the wage of the Chinese workers and live like kings in comparison.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 3:45pm):
I worked at the union for 5 years. Most of the shifts I worked ended late and I know they were using undocumented workers. It was obvious, overtime there were more and more people who could have been undocumented working as janitors at night. I heard that they just asked one undocumented worker to bring in his family, it didn't matter what papers they had. After working at the Union for so long, they laid me off with only two weeks notice. They cited some law that was made to help LTE workers get a living wage, but instead made it so they canned everyone they had to pay the higher wage. They said it was the UW system that mandated this layoff of all LTE workers. That place is very corrupt and will lie in any way possible to get by. The management is irresponsible and has no interest in quality.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 3:52pm):
as another person who used to work in the union, i would echo 1:13's cry to keep digging smathers.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 4:21pm):
"Fredom of the press is great, if you own a press that is."
So is libel.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 4:47pm):
"I know they were using undocumented workers"
There should be a means of reporting this so that the illegal aliens can be deported!
"They cited some law that was made to help LTE workers get a living wage"
Funny that, how forcing wages up decreases the number of people employed.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 5:11pm):
Smathers is going all Robert Redford/Dustin Hoffman on their asses. Now all you need is Deep Throat to reveal himself and you'll bring down All the President's Men.
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 7:21pm):
3:30, China is communist. The state provides everything, they don't need wages (in theory).
Also, how dare you blame customers for demanding cheap products. Are you telling me that the "American way of life" was fabricated by consumers, not clever marketing by big business?
Why is it that Billy Bad-ass thinks he has to drive a 9 MPG Chevy truck, eat processed (near plastic) microwaved food, and own 15 pairs of Nike high tops?
Anonymous (November 8, 2007 @ 10:06pm):
"China is communist. The state provides everything, they don't need wages (in theory)."
What a maroon!
Anonymous (November 9, 2007 @ 1:24am):
"Maybe there should be a reward for turning illegal immigrants in to the authorities? This would be a way for this person to do something about the problem."
why?!! for wanting to feed their families? how can you live in America and say that? poeple can be so ignorant when they have had their lives served on a silver plate!
Anonymous (November 11, 2007 @ 8:52pm):
I also work at the Union, and can back up what 3:45 says. That place is bullshit and corrupt, and it doesn't surprise me one bit that they are mistreating their undocumented workers. I speak Spanish and often talk to them, they are super-friendly. I intend to ask if they have heard of this case with "Jorge".
We, as in the students, need to take back the union. There are a bunch of overpaid, lazy, corrupt and immature pieces of shit managing that building that need to go down.
Anonymous (November 16, 2007 @ 1:48pm):
Let's make sure to identify only the specific individuals involved in this mess. In general, I would argue that most employees of the Union, especially the student workers and those who work just above them, are hard-working, honest, legal Americans. The Union provides many great and unique services; the name of the whole Union should not be tarnished for a few bad apples. I don't doubt that what Smathers reported needs further investigation. Good work, but be careful and please be precise for the good of YOUR union.
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